Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I see that as a problem in and of itself. Since the introduction of these schemes, one of the concerns has been that renters will be left behind. Dr. Byrne mentioned earlier that SEAI has every level of detail. That is fundamental information that would need to be captured in applications.

I see a number of themes in the questions asked by both the Government and the Opposition. Some of them are fundamental. Mr. O'Mahony said we have to do it all and pointed to an area-led approach on the community energy grant schemes.

We see commercial decisions moving to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. It is not surprising, given the incentives and plans involved, but there have been a paltry number of deep retrofits or retrofits to a B2 standard in 2022. We have sectoral emissions ceilings reports which state we need to be delivering in excess of 60,000 retrofits a year from 2022. We will deliver 7,500 this year. It strikes me that there is a plan that will deliver B2 homes in new-builds, in the homes of people who can afford it and in already warm homes that get solar panels. At the same time, people living in poverty, energy poverty and colder homes are being left behind on long lists. There is the low-hanging fruit of shallow retrofits and technologies. The change is not happening at the pace and scale we need it to, particularly at a time of energy crisis. What do our guests have to say to that charge? It has been said on both sides.